Design and measurement of conformal antennas

An increasing number of complex and dedicated antennas in automotive systems, mobile communication and spaceborne and airborne applications require conformal integration. The term conformal antennas stands for antennas which are confined to the surface of the mechanical carrier. In addition to aerodynamical, aesthetic or integration features, conformal antennas can provide special antenna pattern requirement by an appropriate geometrical form. This contribution discusses the advantages and drawbacks of cylindrical and spherical microstrip array antennas in terms of electrical performance and mechanical setup. It further outlines the design of these antennas and shows measured results for aperture coupled microstrip patch arrays on cylindrical and spherical surfaces.